Do I have a race? I think not.
The filing deadline for the 2010 elections was yesterday at 4:30 p.m. David Hamman, a Republican living in Princeville, pulled nomination papers for the House District 14 seat on July 13. He filed the House nomination papers on July 19 and withdrew his nomination papers that same day. Then on that same day, July 19, he pulled nomination papers for the Senate District 7 seat and filed his nomination papers that same day. I believe he had no intention of running for the House seat because his website announced his candidacy for the Kauai Senate seat before July 13.
Today I learned that Scott Nago, the Chief Elections Officer, has made a decision that would give the Republican Party of Hawaii an extra three days to field a Republican candidate against me because of Hamman’s withdrawal. The law does allow for a Party to fill a “vacancy” by a candidate who withdraws from a race after filing. However, since Hamman withdrew from the House race prior to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20, the filing deadline, he was no longer a candidate. I believe the Chief Elections Officer misinterpreted the law in a way that would make the filing deadline meaningless. I have sent a request to the Office of Elections asking for the legal basis for this decision.
Rep. Mina Morita's Blog 
on July 21, 2010 on 9:45 pm
I think not. M
on July 21, 2010 on 10:01 pm
Wow, that’s weird.
on July 22, 2010 on 9:04 am
Weird is an understatement. Auwe, just like the superferry, misreading the law again.
on July 22, 2010 on 8:04 am
Aloha Mina,
I totally agree with you. The time for “gaming the system” is past – we need more accountability. more transparency, not more politicking. I am sorry that this happened.
Aloha, Carol
on July 22, 2010 on 9:02 am
Thanks for your message. Hamman’s comments are troubling – there’s nothing “fair” about this situation, the deadline is the deadline and he wasn’t even a candidate that that point.
on July 22, 2010 on 10:34 pm
Carol, you hit the nail on the head. He’s was not a candidate in the district 14 house race at the close of the filing deadline.
on July 22, 2010 on 7:39 pm
Don’t sweat the small stuff, dear heart. If there were 10 extensions, there is NO ONE who can challenge your integrity, record, and aloha for the people. Annoying and underhanded, definitely; but of no significant impact whatsoever.
on July 23, 2010 on 9:19 am
I second what Judy said! And I will help in any way that I can to make sure you get to continue working for the people of Kaua’i and Hawai’i! 🙂